Preston North End vs Hull City. Sky Bet Championship.
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Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Preston North End and Hull City at Deepdale on Saturday | Goalless draw in play-off chasing battle between Ryan Lowe's Lilywhites and Liam Rosenior's Tigers.
Saturday 2 March 2024 18:36, UK
Play-off hopefuls Preston and Hull drew a frustrating blank with a 0-0 draw at Deepdale that did neither club any favours.
Preston boss Ryan Lowe knew victory for the ambitious Lilywhites would see them go level with the Tigers in the Sky Bet Championship table.
However, neither team could create the one piece of magic needed for a precious three points.
Lowe stuck with the same side which dazzled with an impressive 3-0 away win over Coventry.
His team had rediscovered the rich vein of form which saw them make a flying start to the season, although they had failed to score in their past three matches with the Tigers.
However, Lowe's battlers created enough opportunities to score and stretched their healthy unbeaten run to seven matches, even though they failed to find the back of the net.
Meanwhile, Liam Rosenior's side extended their unbeaten own run to five games, staying sixth in the table.
Midfielder Ben Whiteman went close for the hosts early on, slicing wide of the target from a good position. Moments later he had another crack, only to fail to get any power his strike as Hull goalkeeper Ryan Allsop saved easily.
Lewie Coyle volleyed wide with a powerful effort for the visitors, before Fabio Carvalho tried his luck from distance with a stinging drive which Preston shot-stopper Freddie Woodman did well to parry away.
Anass Zaroury saw his goalbound shot deflected just wide as Hull went close to breaking the deadlock just before the break.
Carvalho had a great chance a minute later to do just that, but he headed straight at a thankful Woodman.
Liam Miller picked out Jordan Storey with a pinpoint cross on the stroke of half-time, but he headed over for the hosts.
Preston defender Andrew Hughes headed over soon after the restart and Whiteman had a shot deflected narrowly wide.
Striker Emil Riis was thwarted by a smart save from Allsop, while at the other end Coyle smashed a right foot shot agonisingly wide of the left upright.
Jaden Philogene thought he had bagged the opening goal but the midfielder was left bewildered after Woodman produced a fine save to deny him.
Whiteman shot wide as the hosts kept pressing and Ali McCann had a volley blocked inside the box, but the ball still would not go in.
Allsop saved brilliantly from Miller with 10 minutes left as neither side could find the breakthrough which would have yielded three points.
Preston's Ryan Lowe:
"I thought we deserved a penalty, a decision has gone against us that has probably not seen us take all three points. Unfortunately for us it hasn't been given, but it's a penalty.
"Will Keane has been pulled back and Keano's been pulled right around, but maybe the referee is used to reffing in the Premier League…he's used to someone speaking in his ear, stop and then decide what to do.
"I don't know, but the fact of the matter is that 11 decisions have gone against us this season and three for us.
"It's become a little bit of a concern, because if it goes into 14-15, then it's costing us points."
He added: "I thought we were excellent, with and without the ball. I think we kept their front three quiet, I thought our defenders were immense.
"There was only one team on the front foot trying to win the game of football and that was us."
Hull's Liam Rosenior:
"It was a hard-fought, physical, winter battle. I'm delighted with the players' attitude, but I felt if we'd have had a little bit more calmness in our play, which is hard to do when you come away from home, then we would have come away with a win.
"I thought the players stood up really, really well to the challenge, but obviously I'm disappointed not to win the game.
"There's a lot on the line, we have to remember Preston are in great form. You could sense in the stadium the energy of the team and what a big game it was for them to push up to us.
"I felt after the first 10 minutes we played our football and we controlled the game and looked like a real threat. But we just couldn't get the goal and that's a real shame."
